Motorcycles are generally provided with side stands which are satisfactory for temporary use but provide the disadvantage of permitting oil to run into the pistons on the side toward which the motorcycle is leaning on the side stand. In addition, motorcycles are provided with center stands to hold them in an at rest vertical position, generally with the rear wheel off the ground.
Because the present day motorcycles are heavier than the prior motocycles, it has become increasingly difficult to operate the center stands; that is, to lower them to the ground to support the motorcycle in a vertical at rest position. Typical center stands are formed of two spaced legs pivotally mounted on the motorcycle main frame, and are held in an upper non-functional position by a spring connected at one end to one of the legs and at its other end to the frame. Pads are fitted adjacent the lower end of the legs to provide wider area of support for the motorcycle when the center stand is in the supporting position.
Typical center stands have a side arm extending outwardly from one of the legs adjacent to a portion of the leg and which is adapted to be near the ground when the stand supports the motorcycle. The arm extends outwardly of the frame and motorcycle in the non-functional position so as to be generally vertically upwardly at approximate right angles to the legs. At the top of the arm is a pad on which an operator's foot is positioned and downward force is applied with the foot to move the stand downwardly to a rearwardly-vertical position against the force of the spring. When this has been done the legs are in contact with the ground surface but are not in position to support the motorcycle. Because of the very substantial weight of the modern motorcycles, it is very difficult to move the legs by force on the pad beyond the pivot center of the stand to a forwardly-vertical position at which the motorcycle is supported vertically and solidly by the center stand. Thus, in order to overcome the weight of the motorcycle to complete the last movement of the stand, the operator must lift the motorcycle while he maintains pressure on the foot pad to move the stand forwardly to the desired position.
Because of the substantial weight that must be lifted in the last part of the aforesaid operation, an inordinate amount of strength is required to position the center stand so as to properly support the motorcycle thereon.